The Home Altar - the Alka
To a Lithuanian the home is the ancestral land where one's family has resided for years and it is also the heart of the Earth. The alka was where the Lithuanian honored the gods and the shades of ancestors.
Every house in Lithuania had an alka set up in the corner of the house, sometimes near the family table, usually near the family hearth. The rural folk would place depictions of the gods, hang sacred pictures, symbols of the Baltic faith ( a three branched tree limb, symbols of the sun, fire, others), a family "sodas", ritual cup or jug, head wreaths from religious celebrations, sometimes candles, incense, towels, woven sashes and other items deamed appropriate. It was believed that the ancestors shades (veles) and home deities would reside by the alka.
Everyone today can set up a home alka, even though our modern homes may not have approprate corners or hearths. Today, set up a table or put up a corner shelf so that you could light a fire ( a candlde ) for the hearth fire goddess Gabija (gah-bee-`jah) and for other kinds of prayers.
The hearth fire is the focus of all family rituals and rites of passage. Each ritual starts by inmvoking Gabija's presence without whom rites would not be possible. Traditionally She is given sacrifices by women only, fed with salt and food. A bit of salt or food "falls" into the fire and the woman of the household says "Gabija, buk pasotinta - Gabija be satiated." A cup of fresh water is placed nearby, so that She would not have to travel far is she becomes thirsty.
This is the goddess that accepts sacrifices and acts as a mediator and messenger to the other deities. She is not the reserved, passive archetype of Vesta or Hestia. Gabija is the vital center of the home, grove and temple, the flaming symbol of life, of everything that is truly alive. She is to be treated with the utmost respect. She is banked with pure water by a woman. The water needs to be a pure as possible, for any impurities would get into Her eyes and would hurt Her. You would not want Her to retaliate, for your home would be ashes.
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The Home Sanctuary -- Alka
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A home is not just a place to live, it is also the ancestral land, the homestead, and the heart of the Earth.
An Alka is erected in the sacred corner of the home, wherethe home and
family Gods, including the Earth herself and Earth Goddess Zemyna, are
worshipped with the appropriate rites. | |
Fire and
the Fire Goddess Gabija would be painstakingly protected and worshipped
in the home hearth. These ancient beliefs with their sacred rites and
beliefs survived in tact until our century.
The Household Gods are the Numejai, whose job and duty it is "to live
in the protect every house, every orchard" (Greimas). Texts from 1725
call the Numejai "Gods of the Pagirniai, under-the-millstone."
According to Pagan tradition, they are worshipped in the corners
(Lebedys). "The Lithuanians did not worship snakes, but Gods who
sometimes took the guise of a snake" (Greimas). Every homestead had it
own Pagirnis, who received sacrifices three times a year.
Underneath the millstone, the household erected a small wooden
house-shrine with its own fence. (Greimas). The Pagirniai come out of
the corners in the guise of snakes. However, they often spend their
time invisible, as if in the depths of the Earth. The fields where
theses Earth Gods are worshipped are called "the worshipped Earth"
(Lebedys). The Earth is beneficent as long as people worship the
Numejai with prayer in the home sanctuaries.
"Lithuanians are very attached to the nurturing Earth. They call her
holy, they pray to her, they kiss her and they fight for her. she is
the most precious treasure for Lithuanians. They have many times
offered their blood and sacrificed their lives to protect her.
Separated from the Earth, they feel like an uprooted tree which quickly
withers" (Balys).
Every household sets up its own sanctuary Alka in the home. Two Gods
are worshipped there: The Earth Goddess Zemyna and the Pagirniai. At
each holiday these Gods are the first to be worshipped. Libations and
food offerings are placed underneath the table or on the table. The
pouring of libations on the ground in worshipping Zemyna is called
'Zemynavimas', while 'Palabinimas' is the blessing of a drink. One
holds the stein, raises ones eyes and thanks the heavenly God Dievas
for health and his many blessings.
The Household and Earth Gods also have other names. Zemepatis' feast
day corresponds with Kucios because of it s date -- the shortest day of
the year and because of its private, family nature. At the end of
October honor is given Zemininkas. That is the day of Ilges which the
entire village or at least several farmsteads celebrate.
References:
J. Lebedy, Lietuviu kalba XVII-XVIII a. viesame gyvenime, Vilnius 1976;
A.J. Griemas, Tautos isminties beieskant, Vilnius 1990;
J. Balys, Lietuviu liaudies pasaulejauta, Chicago 1966.
by Jonas Trinkunas--trans. Vilija Witte
First published in "Romuva/USA", Issue #7, 1992.
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